At their core, all narrative features are lies. We can will ourselves to believe we’re watching superheroes save Manhattan, but we know deep down that what we’re really seeing is costumed actors zipping around on wires and jumping in front of green screens. And like all great, big whoppers, the more moving parts there are, the more difficult it gets to keep everything straight.

The folks at MovieMistakes.com delight in pointing out the tiny mistakes that slip through, whether it’s a costume that’s been sloppily rearranged between takes or an anachronistic prop that’s been dropped into a period piece. Just as they did in 2011, they’ve just released a list of their favorite goofs of the year, as well as a tally of the most error-prone films of the year. Read them both after the jump.

[UPDATE: One of the filmmakers mentioned, Rian Johnson, has since responded to Looper‘s inclusion at #8 on the list. Hit the jump to see his tweet.]

Watch enough movies, and you’ll find that you occasionally walk out of the theater sometimes with the vaguely disappointing feeling that you’ve just shelled out $14 to see a movie you’re already seen before. Sometimes, it’s no surprise that a film looks derivative — did anyone really expect Underworld: Awakening to wow us with its originality, for example? — but even great movies fall prey to old habits sometimes. The Avengers was exhilarating, but Lord knows we’ve seen the dear old Big Apple demolished more than a few times before, and often in very similar ways at that.

The Funny or Die folks point out the most familiar repeating shots and motifs in a video titled “Every 3D Movie is the Same.” Unfortunately, it seems their theoretical fact-checkers were dozing on the job, since a handful of the movies they cite were not, in fact, released in 3D. But even so, their point stands. Perhaps they should’ve just retitled it “Every Studio Action Movie is the Same”? Watch it after the jump.

A movie was out earlier this year that culminated with the birth of a half-human, half-vampire girl. Breaking something, I don’t remember the exact title. Next month there will be another movie with a half-vampire hybrid girl, and it looks like an action movie antidote to the gooey Twilight series. Whether or not you’re among the throngs of eager Selene-oglers, you can check out a new look at the fourth Underworld movie, Underworld Awakening, below. Read More »

Yep, it’s another one. Three years after the last installment, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, the vampire/werewolf film series not penned by Stephenie Meyer is back for a fourth round with the generically titled Underworld: Awakening. After sitting out most of the last entry, Kate Beckinsale has poured herself back into her skintight leather bodysuit to reprise her role as sexy vampire warrior Selene.

Upon emerging from a lengthy imprisonment in a coma-like state, Selene learns that 1) she has a teenage vampire/Lycan hybrid daughter named Eve (played by India Eisley) — the only one of her kind; and 2) vampires and Lycans are now being hunted by humans. Cue explosions, ass-kicking, many shades of blue, and all the other things we’ve come to expect from the Underworld franchise. Watch the new theatrical trailer after the jump.

I’m mystified by the continued existence of the Resident Evil and Underworld movies. The parade of sequels for each franchise seems, to me, to just be the same stuff presented over and over again. But good-looking women kicking ass is something that evidently crosses all sorts of boundaries.

So there’s an audience that loves them, and Swedish directors Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein are here to present Underworld: Awakening, the fourth film in the series and the return of Kate Beckinsale. She took a break from the third movie, which told an origin tale to fill in backstory leading up to the original 2003 film. But now Beckinsale is back as Seline, the leather-clad vampire who shoots things in both slo-mo and ultra-fast action. Check out the trailer below. Read More »